Rebels end their season

THE 2011 speedway season came to an end yesterday for the Somerset Rebels following their participation in the final of the Premier League Fours Championship at Leicester.

With Somerset missing three of their top five riders due to injury and suspension, it was always going to be a tall order to expect the Rebels to be challenging for honours, and so it proved as they finished fourth.

The championship went to Ipswich, who beat hosts Leicester, with Workington taking the last step on the podium.

“Despite finishing fourth, the Somerset quintet were far from disgraced,” said promoter Debbie Hancock.

Although the track action at the Oak Tree Arena has come to an end for 2011, the club will be holding their end of season presentation night at the Oak Tree on Saturday when the fans’ choices for rider of the year, most improved rider and most entertaining rider will be announced.

In their last league match of the season, the Rebels lost at home to Newport.

It was a close match with both sides dominant at different stages of the meeting. The Rebels provided plenty of points to support Kauko Nieminen, with the stand-out performance coming from Alex Davies, who top scored with 11 (paid 13).

Davies has been superb since signing for the Rebels, demonstrating to the Wasps management what a mistake they made in letting him go.

For the visitors, Charlie Gjedde, Leigh Lanham and especially Robin Aspegren were superb as Newport triumphed 47-43.